The Gozo fast ferry, Valletta to Gozo without crossing the island

Without the fast ferry, getting to Gozo from Valletta means crossing half the island by bus to Ċirkewwa before you even see a boat. The fast service, which Gozo’s tourism ministry describes as newly introduced, changes the sums for anyone staying in the capital. You leave from the Grand Harbour and 45 minutes later you’re in Mġarr, no roads involved.

What the Gozo fast ferry is

The service is run by Gozo Highspeed, and Gozo’s tourism ministry describes it as a foot-passenger fast ferry between Mġarr Harbour and Valletta’s Grand Harbour. The boats carry more than 300 passengers, are wheelchair accessible and have Wi-Fi on board. Its timetable for 1 October 2026 shows two of them, the Your Wisdom and the Gozo Express.

For me it’s one of the best things about Malta’s transport today, at least if you don’t have a car. I compare it with the Gozo Channel ferry, still the only one for vehicles, in the Malta to Gozo ferry.

Timetable and crossing time

On 1 October 2026 there were 17 departures from Valletta to Gozo, from 06:45 to 23:45, nearly one an hour, and another 17 back, from 05:45 to 23:45. Every one takes 45 minutes. The operator also runs two more routes, one from Sliema calling at Buġibba that takes 1 h 15 min, and one from Buġibba of about 30 minutes, with 13 sailings between them that day.

With those times a Gozo day trip from Valletta goes a long way. Take the 08:45 out and come back on the last boat and you have a full day on the island. How I’d spend it is in Gozo day trip.

Where to catch it in Valletta

The Gozo Fast Ferry terminal is at Ta’ Liesse, down in the Grand Harbour. From central Valletta the operator recommends the Barrakka Lift, which takes you from the Upper Barrakka Gardens down to harbour level. From the airport, the TD4 serves Valletta and the fast ferry every 30 minutes for €3, so you can land and be on Gozo without a taxi.

Gozo’s tourism ministry recommends checking in 15 to 20 minutes before departure. Each passenger may take one item of luggage, and bicycles, e-scooters and pets travel without a supplement.

How much is the Gozo fast ferry?

Here I need to be upfront. I couldn’t read the standalone fare on a fixed page from the operator, because it comes out of the booking system, and I won’t give a figure I can’t back up. What is official is Malta Public Transport’s bundle, which adds a fast ferry return to the Explore Flex bus pass for a total of €36 (4-day pass) or €42 (7-day pass).

If the Explore Flex was on your list anyway, I’d pay for the crossing this way. What the pass includes is in Malta buses.

Accessibility and luggage

For travellers with reduced mobility this is one of the easier ways to reach Gozo. Gozo’s tourism ministry says the boats are wheelchair accessible, the operator charges no supplement for wheelchairs, and the terminal at Mġarr has facilities for people with disabilities. The limit is luggage, one item per passenger, so if you’re moving to Gozo for a week with big cases, I’d ask first or take the Gozo Channel ferry instead.

Fast ferry or Gozo Channel?

A quick note on comfort. The crossing from Valletta is longer than Gozo Channel’s, 45 minutes against about 25, but you skip well over an hour of bus, which for me is the whole point. On a day trip, that saving is the difference between a rushed afternoon and a proper one.

It depends where you’re staying. From Valletta the fast ferry always wins, because the bus ride to Ċirkewwa alone takes over an hour. From Buġibba or Qawra, the half-hour Buġibba sailing also makes sense. From Mellieħa, though, Ċirkewwa is on your doorstep and the Gozo Channel ferry, €4.65 return and up to every half hour by day, is the better bet. With a car there’s no choice, it’s Gozo Channel.

At Mġarr there are buses to Victoria and Marsalforn, and even a green hop-on hop-off that the operator sells together with the crossing. My verdict on it is in Malta hop on hop off.